Mick’s Mail: Moonee Valley 26/04/2025

R3- Excess is my top pick here, the Valley is where she races best and the 1200M is perfect with a win and a second from two tries. I see her rolling across sitting OSL and being too strong in the straight.

Shesallshenanigans is the best performed runner and deserves its top weight. She will benefit from Logan Bates’ claim to offset its hefty impost; its main issue will come from barrier 1 where it may need luck obtaining a run.

Beour Bay can pull out a good run and at $14 seems a tad over the odds.

Happy Link will be handy from the draw, races well 2^nd up and at the distance.

Backing #6 Excess

R4- An even race here with quite a few winning chances.

The resuming SA visitor Losesomewinmore is my on top selection, he is very lightly raced having only 7 previous starts and recording 3 wins and 2 seconds. His first up stats are very good, I have him mapped just off a good speed and finishing hard late in the race. Richard Jolly is very astute and has a good record when travelling with his horses.

Port Albert will be tough to beat, he goes great at the track/distance, draws to get a soft run just off the speed and his best is certainly good enough to win this.

New York Lustre was excellent last prep and goes for 5 in a row here, Enver is a great horseman, and it won’t surprise if she completes the ‘picket-fence’. Carleen Hefel has a great affinity with this stable’s horses too.

Deepfloat Diva is another from the Jolly yard, he was good without being outstanding when returning in Adelaide, he will have improved off that run and will be competitive here.

If they overcook it, Machinist may well be the blowout, he stormed home last start and is better than a $23 chance.

No Bet

R5- The Moody/Coleman trained Riot And Rose appeals to me here, I fancied this fella when resuming and he never got a chance to unleash. He faces a slightly easier test and with energy reserves I think he’s a great bet around the $9 mark.

Lady In Pink contested the same race and wasn’t suited by the pattern and its wide course, she should get a more economical run and won the Tristarc Stakes when 2^nd up last prep beating a pretty handy field.

Chorlton Lane is a winner of almost $700K and must go in the numbers, he maps well here and is a very honest animal.

Niccolini Vito won well last start with the gaps appearing when he needed them most, he can win again if the luck in running falls his way.

Steinem has raced at the top level in her career and should she return to her best form then the $27 will look like Xmas has arrived.

Backing #6 Riot And Rose

R6- I’m going to back 2 runners here Catahoula and Ravalli.

Catahoula presents here 2^nd up where it has a good record, she also loves the 1200M trip around this circuit. Her racing pattern I to get back so I am banking on their being above average speed here.

My other selection is Ravalli who trialled nicely in preparation for this. His trainer maybe somewhat foreign to most, his name is Tim Fitzsimmons who returns to Australia after a very successful stint in Singapore. Remember his name, he will be training plenty of winners in the next 12-18 months.

Verdoux is putting together a nice resume in his 4 career starts for team Corstens, his effort after a freshen showed he is close to his peak again and can figure here.

Dirty Grin never runs a poor race, he won’t be far away either.

Backing #11 Catahoula and #5 Ravalli

R7- Let’sfacethemusic will go very close. Last start he showed that he took no ill effects from his run in a Group race in Sydney when getting edged out by Manolo Bling. He finds a far easier race that what he has contested lately, draws well and Yendall will give him every chance.

Stage N Screen will provide stiff opposition, she should find the lead from a favourable draw and peaks here after two nice runs after a spell. Another plus is the postage stamp weight after Luke Cartwrights 3kg claim.

El Tercero is going great guns, my concern is that he is having his 5^th start in his first campaign, a tall order for many horses. He can still win although I couldn’t take the price currently on offer.

Untapped is capable on its day and can figure here, the Greg Eurell team are going very well at present.

Backing #1 Let’sfacethemusic

R8- Garnacho appeals to me here, the race shape looks perfect for this fellow and is perfectly suited out to this trip. I can see him being ridden very cold early and looping them from the 600M to storm over the top. The Browne training team of David and Emma are starting to really make there mark here since moving from NZ to Cranbourne, they are both excellent mentors and their runners should always be respected.

The Waller trained Sun God peaks here after 2 runs back, he is drawn to get a soft run and is a leading hope.

Ciaron Maher’s Khor is a good chance of figuring in the prizemoney, as is Muktamil although this big boy is perhaps better suited on a roomier track than the Valley, don’t leave him out of your quaddies though.

Backing #15 Garnacho

R9- The lucky last and Ambassadorial is perfectly suited. Distance, track, barrier and 2^nd up are all ticks, whatever beats him, if any, will win. The $4.80 seems a nice price to my eye.

Heavenly Eagle was great a fortnight ago at Bendigo. He was specked in the betting that day so his win at big odds wasn’t unexpected from his stable. They way he finished off that race says he can go on with it here.

Waimarie was good upon resumption and goes well 2^nd up, she must go in.

I liked Falcon Of Malta first up and he went well for a $61 chance (wish he’d have run 3^rd), he has run three 2nds from 3 second up tries, so there is no disadvantage there. The $23 looks overs to me.

Backing #9 Ambassadorial

R2-4 Best of the day

R7-1

R8-15

R9-9

R5-6